First Lady Jill Biden’s office issued an apology Tuesday morning, July 12, after facing criticism for citing “bodegas” and “breakfast tacos” to praise Latino diversity.

In her speech at the conference of UnidosUS, the country’s largest Latino advocacy and civil rights organization, Jill Biden said: “Raul [Yzaguirre] helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength”.

Her reference to San Antonio breakfast tacos at the conference held on Monday, July 11, generated such a large-scale reaction that a twitter apology was required from his press secretary as early as Tuesday, July 12: “The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community”.

According to NBC News, “Critics saw it as a sweeping statement equating all Latinos to tacos or, to a certain extent, diminishing Latinos' ethnic and political complexity. For others, however, her comment was as true as the global celebrity of San Antonio’s Mexican food”.

The “National Association of Hispanic Journalists” called on the first lady and her speech writing team “to take the time in the future to better to better understand the complexities of our people and communities” […] “We are not tacos, and do not reduce us to stereotypes”, as reported by CNN.

San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the country, with Latinos, largely Mexican American, making up 65 percent of the population.

“Hispanic culture is visible throughout San Antonio in its theater, its downtown Mercado and River Walk, its music, its car clubs, its annual Tejano Music awards, its Conjunto Festival, its art, its food and more. But Latinos in San Antonio have dealt with and still deal with issues of equity — which was the focus of the UnidosUs conference”, according to NBC.

The UnidosUS president and CEO Janet Murguía applauded her for appointing Latinos to top jobs in her staff Moments before Jill Biden’s remarks.

Excerpts from Jill Biden’s speech demonstrate some observations about diversity in the Latino community and common aspirations: “Yes, the Latino community is unique. But what I’ve heard from you again and again is that you want what all families want. Good schools. Good jobs. Safe neighborhoods”.

She also praised Joe Biden's efforts to increase Latino representation within the government: “He's appointed Latinos to the highest offices in his cabinet. He made sure that legislation like the American Rescue Plan focused on equity. His team worked with all of you, Unidos and so many of the affiliates here today to get Latinos vaccinated, fight hunger, and invest in your small businesses”.

Despite several notes in her speech considered important to the Latino community in the country, the cultural references used by Jill Biden ended up provoking debates about stereotypes vs. Latin cultural diversity.

The GOP’s Texas spokeswoman, Macarena Martinez, according to NBC, “described the comments as pandering and said they show how out of touch the Biden administration is. ‘While the Democrat Party concerns itself with utilizing unpopular terms and reducing Hispanics to stereotypes, the GOP will continue to make inroads with the Hispanic community across the state’, she said”.